Self-assembly of cubic Co ₃ O ₄ crystals and charge and discharge performances for lithium-ion battery

In this Letter, cubic Co3O4 samples are synthesised by a simple hydrothermal reaction. The samples are characterised by scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, electron diffraction, X-ray powder diffractometer and nitrogen adsorption. The results show that the formed Co3O4 samples are not solid cubes, but cube-like assemblies of nanoparticles. The charge and discharge performances of the cubic Co3O4 crystals are investigated. It shows that the Co 3O4 cubes have a high-rate capacity and an excellent cyclability, which is attributed to the high-surface area and porous structure. © 2012 The Institution of Engineering and Technology.